A crook who has been a burglar since he was ten was sent back to jail yesterday.

Michael Hagen had only been out of prison a week when he broke into a clothing shop.

The 32-year-old climbed onto the roof at the store of The Great Rack and Rail Swindle in Borough Road, Middlesbrough, and smashed his way inside, stealing stock worth £1,300 and causing £400 damage.

On the till, he left blood which was matched to him by DNA because he had a criminal record of 66 convictions for non-dwelling burglaries since he was ten, said prosecutor Gale Gilchrist.

He had just served a six-month prison sentence for burglary imposed by Teesside Magistrates.

Yvonne Taylor, defending, told Teesside Crown Court: "He had no income and on the spur of the moment he committed the burglary in order to buy some clothes for his children. He said he was not thinking properly at the time and he had a relapse in relation to his heroin use which has been behind most of his offending."

Miss Taylor added that Hagen was now off drugs and he was determined to build a future for himself and his family. Judge Tony Briggs told Hagen custody was inevitable.

Hagen, of St Aidans Drive, Middlesbrough, was ordered to serve 69 days left from his last sentence and sentenced to 30 months' jail consecutively after he pleaded guilty to the April 28 burglary.